Love the Mailman
by Writer Noire
Summary: A holiday night between the Pizza girl and the Mailman. A Few Years AU


Let's see if heartwarming winter fic out before 2017. Happy Holidays to all my Steven Universe friends.

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Love The Mailman

Summary: Kiki is with Sour Cream and has been happily married to him for several years. Recently though, his career soared and has been called into Empire City. This has caused a massive strain in their relationship and with Sour Cream no longer calling her, Kiki is distraught. During this time, she turns to her closest friend: Jamie Taylor.

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Kiki chugged more of her eggnog and put the cup down with a resounding slam. "Ah that's good! Like it?"

Her sister chuckled at her sister's drinking antic and placed her cup down. "It's great Kiki, it'll get a party really going. Buck is definitely going to enjoy this at his company's party." Buck. Best friend of Sour Cream. That brought the mood down. And Jenny realized that.

"H-Hey I can see if Buck can talk to Sour Cream again! I know the last conversation you had wasn't the best, but hey he's probably cooled down. I mean it wouldn't blow up like last-" Kiki just looked at her and Jenny went quiet.

"I'm sorry Kiki, I really am. Are you sure you don't want to spend the holidays with us? New Years holiday is time for family and if you feel like you're impeding..."

"It's not that Jenny." Kiki said with a light chuckle. "I just want my favorite twin to enjoy her News Year Holiday with her new husband. Besides Dad paid a lot for the wedding and honeymoon. That's just rude."

"Hehe, yeah. Still I'd hate to leave you alone at the end of the year. I know it's been rough." Kiki pulled her twin for a side hug. "Nothing's too tough for me! I'm glad you care though."

The twins enjoyed each other's company in the silence until they heard a ring echo through the house. They both got up and checked the door. Jenny watched as Kiki looked through the peephole. She noticed how the dull look in her eyes lighted up as she opened the door. "Jamie!"

"Good evening Pizzas! I mean Kiki and Jenny." He stuttered because of the cold. "What brings you over at this time? I thought you delivered all your packages this week." Jenny said.

"Well Kiki told me earlier that you were visiting so I thought it'd be the perfect time to deliver some special gift exchange to push off the new year." He pulled up three boxes and two of them had Jenny's and Buck's name. "I mean I felt rude after not giving you a good wedding present so I got you a better one."

Jenny accepted it with open arms and hugged Jamie. Kiki sighed happily at Jamie and noticed a fourth package next to his feet. She was going to call attention to it, but Jenny stopped her. "I gotta go, Jamie can you put these in my car."

"Sure." He took the gifts and walked to her car. Jenny turned to Kiki and saw her eyes follow Jamie. "I hope you're not taking advantage of our friends, Kiki."

"What?" She turned to see a serious look on her face. "Just be careful will ya sister."

"Of course. Love you Jenny."

"I love you more Kiki." And they soon departed with Jamie and Kiki waving bye. Jenny suspected something, but didn't want to assume and even if it was what she thought, Jamie could handle himself. Probably.

With Kiki and Jamie, the two watched Jenny's car disappear and Kiki turned to the mailman. "So Jamie, what's with the fourth package? Did you get something for me?"

"Ah yes I have. I was thinking since you were hear I could get you a gift to start the new year." He ran over and picked up his gift for Kiki. "Here, look. I hope you like it."

"Jamie, you're my closest friend. I can never not like your gifts." He placed the package in her hands and she laughed at the weight. It was slightly heavier than it looked. Her fingers fiddled with the wrapping paper as she ripped it off. Underneath the winter wraps was a leather bound book. A thick one at that. "Jamie?"

He wiggles his eyebrows for her to open it up and she rolled her eyes. Kiki opened it to see the words: To The Beginning And To The Unknown, I've Held Close To My Heart, My Closest Friend.

Her eyes shined at what maybe in the next page and it showed a photo of Jamie and Kiki in their childhood. Jamie was wearing a blue shirt with overalls on and was missing a tooth in his smile. Kiki was next to him, holding his hand with a look of pure joy as she was laughing when this picture was taken.

"Jamie." Kiki said with emotion. She flipped through the pages and could see that he personally scrapbooked the years they shared together. Their heads in school together to when they were young adults.

Their friends were in there like Barbara or Sadie. Even Steven was there during the annual Pizza restaurant competition. The hybrid was proudly holding Jamie's hand up in victory with Kiki bringing them their pizza. Jenny took that photo.

"It took me all year to find most of those photos. I'm lucky your sister had taken more than half of these."

"Y-Yeah." Kiki replied as she flipped toward the last five years. There were less photo of them together with it mostly being group photos. She realized that the past few years Jamie's been going out trying to further his acting career. And she was running her family business. Time and other things got in the way. It was a bugging Kiki on just how much things have changed. They were attached to the hip years ago, but now...

Flipping one more time, Kiki was treated to the images of her wedding. Sour Cream, Buck, Steven, and Jamie stood together in line dressed in fine tuxes. The next was Kiki and her bridesmaids. Finally she arrived to the last photo of the scrapbook.

Kiki and Sour Cream were surrounded by their friends in one big group photo. Though Kiki was focusing on one thing. Jamie. He had his hand on her shoulder and gave away one of his many charming smiles. They were best friends and supported each other thick and thin. Heck, Jamie was rooting for her and Sour Cream to tie the knot a long time ago. And now looking back it...

Kiki doesn't know of it was just her spat with her husband or the repression of something returning, but her she was alone with a man she's loved like a brother for years.

"So do you like it?"

"I love it!" Kiki said with a convincing tone. "Well that's good. I've spent a lot of time on it and was trying my hardest to make sure you loved it."

"Well I do love." Suddenly the book almost fell out of her hands and she tried to catch it. Jamie caught the book and her hands. Kiki could feel the warmth on her face feel like a heater. He wasn't wearing gloves, but his hands felt like heaters.

"Geez, Kiki you are freezing. How's about we go inside?"

"Y-yes please." Kiki replied. They entered the house and they were washed with heat from the kitchen and the fireplace Kiki installed years ago. So the blend of food, smokey wood, and eggnog. "Whoa, you're just being a bundle of warmth this year huh?"

"Something's gotta be warm this year. Unlike you, Mr. Frozen Auditorium. I swear I was going to freeze my butt off there."

"But the lights burn through a lot of electricity! I gotta keep them cold." Jamie faked whined. "Here I got a few drinks ready."

"Alright dear." Kiki put the book on the table and went to the kitchen, fetching Jamie some coco she made earlier. She poured his glass and went back out. When Kiki entered the living room, she swore she could look at Jamie's relaxed face the entire time. The postman/actor sat on the couch with a peaceful face on.

"You know if you wanna sleep over that'll be nice." She said as Jamie shook from his brief dip into sleep. "Oh sorry, no I can go home."

She glanced outside and saw the snow began to pick up. "No it's fine. After all what kind of bestie would I be if I let you leave in this weather." Jamie looked out and saw what she meant. "Good point. Drinks on me?"

"Drinks on me." Kiki replied as she dropped two hot mugs of melted chocolate and milk. He chuckled at the obvious joke and gladly took the mug. The two drank their hot coco in silence but in her mind Kiki was going crazy. The warmth coursing through her body wasn't just from her home. It was from being near her closest male friend.

She was married, but her heart still acted like a teenager. And it seems she was going after her best friend. Jamie's always been on her side and has been a big help. Especially with this year. When things started he proclaimed neutrality, if things escalated. Sour Cream was getting more irritable, Kiki was closer to snapping, and all their friends were split.

Though after Sour Cream cut himself off for a break in Empire City, Jenny and Jamie were there to care for Kiki. She was devastated and it took sometime from both parties to restore her heart. Jenny did as best she could, but her relationship with Buck risen and Kiki knew her sister had a life as well. Especially if she was Dewey's right hand woman on most things.

Jamie took a break from his drama season and work to help her. He visited her day after day and the two just hung out. Eating food and telling jokes. However as time went on and Kiki slowly came back from her funk, her love and value for Jamie grew. Almost to the point it was like she...

The pizza woman shook her head at what that might mean. Even if it were true, she was married and respect for such unity must be held to the highest standard.

Kiki sighed sadly at what she wants and what she mustn't. And on how such things could change what they have between them. "You ok?"

"Huh?"

"You seemed to space out. I'm guessing you're thinking of him aren't you?" Him? Sour Cream. She shook her head. "No I'm just enjoying the silence. After all, you're here. It makes the quiet weigh less."

"Is that why you want to stay overnight?" He chuckled. She scooted closer. "Maybe though it makes things a bit easier to understand." Their shoulders were touching as they watched the snow fall down.

She swore that underneath that red was slowly rising up his cheeks. "Thank you."

"Hm."

"You know for being here. I'm glad that you've been by my side for all these years." Kiki said. Jamie laughed at the praise bashfully. "I wouldn't go that far. I'm just doing my job as your bestie."

"Then you would be getting a promotion." She said. Something pushed her forward and gave something that opened her heart. "Promotion? What's that brother? That'd be nice."

"No." That froze Jamie in his tracks. "I mean with any other girl you'd be her...boyfriend."

"R-Really? Well I'd be honored to be with the lady." Kiki scooted closer and realize how when lonely it was when Jamie wasn't around. If her twin sense was right, she suspected Jenny saw something when he arrived. It became increasingly clear that she's falling for her best friend.

Normally this would be some existential crisis, but Kiki was certain. Sour Cream is a good man however things can change and there's nothing they can do about it. "I feel honored."

"K-Kiki? What're you saying?"

"Nothing." Jamie caught on quickly and stopped her. "Kiki, come on. Stop joking."

Kiki let sadness flash on her face before shaking her head. "You're right, sorry. I didn't mean for that joke to go on."

"It's alright Kiki. Nothing bad happened so it's fine. So I'll sleep on the couch and call it a night."

"What? No, Jamie you're a guest. Take my room and I'll sleep down here." Jamie shook his hands. "No that's fine. I can sleep down here and I'll be happy with it."

"Well I won't be. So take my room for the night!" The mood shifted to something similar to when they were kids.

"You take your room, Kiki. Because. I'm. Fine. Here." Now it was getting more childish. "Oh no, Taylor I'm not leaving until you get in that room upstairs!"

"Make me!" The two shared a laugh as Kiki tried pushing Jamie up the stairs. "I'll make you and see."

"Well I'm not sleeping till you get in your bed!"

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The two questioned what just happened. At this moment, Kiki Pizza and Jamie Taylor were laying in the same bed together with the lights off and the moonlight the only source of light in the room.

"Told you I get you in bed."

"But did you have to come in here."

"You know I recall someone saying they won't sleep until I get in my bed. Well here I am in my bed. Now go to sleep."

Jamie stared at the ceiling and was sweating bullets. It wasn't everyday a man got to sleep next to his best friend. Whose a woman. Whose MARRIED, but that's beside the point. It's been awhile since they had a sleepover together. Last time was when they were children.

Jamie liked it though. After Kiki got married everything began to go by so fast. He worked on screenplays and deliveries every day with each task exhausting him to the bone. Some days he did nothing, but right and find himself realizing it's one in the morning and he started writing at four A.M yesterday.

In fact some days Barbara sends him home just for sleep and wonders if he should just go out and have fun with his friends. But most of his friends were out with their own lives. Sadie and Lars left for college, Jenny and Buck were important figures, Connie and Steven were the defenders of Earth with the Crystal Gems, and obviously Kiki and Sour Cream carried on business.

It seemed most of his friends were out and didn't have enough time for to hang out with Jamie. Which was fine for some days, but on others he felt really lonely.

However that changed when Jenny called him over to help Kiki. To say he wasted no time was an understatement. Time seemed to slowdown as Jamie went to the side of his best friend. A lover's spat. And a bad one at that was what hurt his friend.

What he knows is: Sour Cream's career soared and in time caught the attention of many companies. The biggest one being Empire City. They wanted him immediately and he agreed. Kiki didn't know and learned about it too late as Sour Cream was getting ready to leave. One thing led to another and an argument began. Jamie didn't know the full details, but it was enough for the happy couple to split.

He's seen the entertainment news and sees that Sour Cream has grown into high stardom. Kiki, however, is still here in Beach City running the pizza shop. Jenny took time off work to comfort her sister and spent every waking moment with her. Jamie applauded her dedication and wanted to his part. And that was to be her best friend. Whenever Jenny was unavailable at the time, Jamie stepped up and was extremely happy to just hang out again.

He came with all his screenplays and did some recreations of some of the acts. Each moment with Kiki was satisfying and it was held close to his heart. Perhaps a little too close. Kiki seemed a little too close for his tastes, but the messed up part was that he enjoyed it. He passed it off as a joke, however his mind was screaming the opposite.

It was no secret to him that he loved Kiki. And most people saw that. Heck before anyone knew Kiki was dating Sour Cream, Kofi told Jamie that he'd accept him as a son if he made his daughter happy. It was out of nowhere and a surprise, but Jamie didn't exactly refute it.

How could being friends with someone for so long go on without thinking, "What If?" What if he asked her out? What if she asked him? What if works? What if it didn't? Sometimes his minds eye sees a river that splits into smaller rivers that are vastly different or similar. Steven told him that's how his former crush Garnet sees things. If so, it must be torturous.

However he lived in the present and the present's future was a constantly shifting thing. He could love Kiki with all his heart, but if her affections lied with someone else then so be it. He'll support her and what her decisions reap. It was the best thing he could do.

"Hey Kiki."

"Hm." She said groggily.

"Sorry if I woke you."

"No, no, you're fine." She yawned and turned to him. "What's up? You uncomfortable?"

'I'm sleeping next to a married woman of my friend. This isn't comfortable at all.' Jamie thought. "It's nothing I'm just cold."

"Ah did the heater give out again?! Hold on, maybe I can fix it." She got up, but Jamie stopped her. "No, that's fine. I don't need you to do that. Do you have a second blanket?"

She shook her head and shifted. "Sorry Jamie, but most of blankets are in the wash. And won't be ready till the morning."

"Ah dang it." Kiki got an idea and scooted closer. "Here I'll warm you up."

"K-Kiki? You don't have to it."

"Oh hush. I'm doing this to make sure I don't wake up next to a popsicle in the morning." Jamie went quiet as he felt her arms wrap around him. He tried his best not to squeal at how nice it felt. "You ok? You seem tense."

"I feel like we're pushing something a little too far."

"Don't be a sissy, Taylor. I'm just doing my best to keep you from freezing. Is there a problem with that?"

"A little. I mean this is a little, um, intimate." Jamie stuttered. Kiki understood that and didn't care. This was more than enough. There was no need to push things any higher, although she wasn't against it. "Come on Jamie, calm yourself. You act like something's going to happen."

"Wait, no!"

"I know, I know." She pulled back slightly and booped his nose. "You don't need to worry about anything. This is all platonic."

'You're saying that while cuddling me! And wait? Am I the little spoon?!' He did notice that Kiki was holding him and was in fact spooning him when he turned around.

"Now be quiet and sleep, handsome." She said tiredly.

"Handsome...?" Jamie could feel his face heating up at that compliment. The snow softly fell against the house. He smiled as he turned himself around and saw the face of the sleeping face of Kiki. Chuckling to himself, he leaned in and kissed her forehead. "Sleep well, my friend."

He closed his eyes and didn't notice the smile growing on her face.

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Alright this will be my last update until 2017. Hopefully. And it's been awhile since I've written for Steven Universe and I must say it's grown. By a lot. Anyways my message for all you out there who are upset about all out of things. Either the personal or political just remember we can kiss this year goodbye. Or rather punch this year in the face and say screw you.

We dealt with a lot: celebrity deaths, president elect Trump(whether you support him or not, the time with him has made been exhausting and unlike him some of us were kidding for him to run), and Apple taking away our headphone jack. So now our options is phones who blow up on us or missing the one feature that we spend $32 dollar headphones on.

But hey we gotta remember what we are. Despite how many of you may feel about anything, do not let it hold you down. We have enough crap to deal with these hiatus and real life. We can't let real life beat us, that's what our anxiety and low self esteem are supposed to do.

And with a new year upon us we can do better and be more than ready to do what we have now.


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